Motor cultivator



Get. 16 1923.

T. BROWN MOTOR GULTIVATOR Filed June 15, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm W mm mm m ll mm mm mm hm 9m NM 0 0 mm 3 g 0 A N mm mm hm fl gamma r U m l m n a m U z c ,0 Q a. o B h Mm 23 l A Q Q m 0 Q R. 3 m N F Ill: 1 l I mfiw m m w o m m Rn R N w Q Q .3 h .W W \N w T v Wrfrzass 5% JFK/1924M flfmrn a 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T BROWN MOTOR CULTIVATOR Filed June 15, 1920 Oct. 16 1923.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 T. BROWN MOTOR CULTIVATOR Filed June 15 1920 Patented Oct. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEOPHILUS BROWN, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DEERE & COMPANY, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MOTOR CULTIVATOR.

Original application filed March 23, 1917, Serial No. 156,995. Divided and this application filed June 15, 1920. Serial No. 389,063.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEOPHILUS BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor Cultivators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in tractors employed in propellin tillage implements more particularly of t e cultivator class,this application being a division of application for patent filed March 23, 1917 and designated by Serial Number 156,995, Patent No. 1,411,476, Apr, 4, 1922.

An object of my invention is to connect the tractor and cultivator in such a manner that the latter is quickly responsive to the actuation of the means employed to cause it to deviate from a straight line of advance in order to avoid obstruction or to provide proper tillage for rows of irregularly positioned plants as will be clearly defined in the following specification. In the type of cultivator shown and described the wheels and axle move together when turning the implement to deviate from a straight line,

as distinguished from cultivators in which the wheels are dirigible.

Referring to the drawings in which similar numerals indicate identical parts-- Figure 1 is a plan view of a motor propelled cultivator embodying" my improvements.

Figure 2 is a side elevation in section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the forward end support of the tractor frame.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged bottom view of the joining devices for the frame sections and the adjusting means.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 F igure 7.

The frame of the cultivator consists of bars 1 secured to brackets 2 mounted on an arched axle 3. The arched axle has laterally projecting ends upon which are mounted supporting wheels 4. The forward ends of the frame bars 1 are connected to a transverse bar 5 and their rear ends extend beextending forwardly of their pivots and connected to the gangs 6 by links 10, so that by operation of the levers 9 either of the gangs 6 can be raised or lowered, as desired, and held in position by the usual type of latch on the levers 9 engaging with notches on segments 11 secured on the brackets 2.

The tractor frame is in two sections pivotally .joined substantially midway of its length. the forward section forming an intermediate frame between the cultivator frame and the rear section, and comprising bars 12 which diverge to a member 13, to which they are secured. Attached to the axle 3, by suitable bolts, is a circular plate a upon which the member 13 rests and rotates about a pivot bolt 6, which passes through the axle 3, the plate aand the member 13, holding these parts together by a nut c on the end of the bolt; the member 13 is provided, on its under shirface with ribs d, concentric with the pivot b, which move, when the member 13 is swung, in grooves e on the upper surface of the plate a. From the member 13 the bars 12 converge forwardly to a block 14 to which they are rigidly connected. Rigidlymounted on the block 14 I provide an inverted U-shaped bearing 15 carrying a roller 16 which travels over the surface of the bar 5, its range of lateral movement being limited by steps 16 secured on the bar 5, a similar roller 16 is mounted on a forward extension of the block 14 and is adapted to rotate against the under surface of the bar 5; by this construction the forward end of the tractor frame is suitably supported to relieve the pivot bolt 6 from lateral strain.- The bars 12 also converge rearwardly from the member 13 to the pivotal connection of the two sections.

The rear section of the tractor frame comprises bars 23 the rear ends of which are connected to the vertical portions of an arched axle 24, the latter having mounted thereon tractor wheels 25. Bars 26 are connected to suitable brackets onthe arched axle 24 and converge forwardly to the connection of the tractor frame sections. A motor 27 is supported referably on the bars '26, and has a fly-whee carryin or formed mounted in bearings 37 secured to the upperpart of the arched axle 24. The counter shaft 38 and the wheels thereon are supported by a bracket 39 connected to one of the frame bars 26.

Sprocket wheels 40 are mounted on the cross shaft 36 and are connected by a chain 41 with sprocket wheels 42 on the traction wheels 25. A difi'erential gearing 43, of any desired type, is interposed between the pinion 54 and the sprocket wheels 40 and is mounted on the shaft 36 so that the power transmitted to the gear 35 will be imparted equally to the tractlon wheels, but with differentlal speeds, according to circumstances.

The pivotal connection of the two sections of the tractor frame comprises the following elements. 18 indicates a tubular, preferably conical, socket which is secured to the forward ends of the bars 26, as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. 19 is a worm gear integral with, or secured to, this socket 18. A stub shaft or large stem 7 fits in the socket 18; and is rigid with the bars 12 and the front frame section. As shown, it is cast with a plate 9 which has upwardly projecting ears for bolting it to the bars 12. The,

plate can be formed, as shown, with a depemfingflange h to provide a projecting cover for the work gear. The shaft or stem f is held snugly in journaled position in the socket 18 by means of a bolt h, the head of which engages with the plate g; the bolt having anut at the lower end engaging with a washer cap i of suificient width to en age with the lower end of the socket 18. n a horizontal shaft j, mounted in bearings k which are shown as formed in the plate cover Z, is, a worm m. This worm m being mounted on the front frame section, and the two sections being hinged together or piv otally connected, it will be seen that the front frame section and the rear section can be readily and quicklycthrown to one or another of various lateral inclinations, as desired. To effect this, the worm m is turned by-means of a hand whe'el n secured to the worm shaft 7', the wheel referably having a convenient handle e. e oper- Assuming that the implement is in use i cultivating plants growing in rows, the operator having started the motor and thrown in the clutch by operating the lever 30, and

having his feet resting on the foot levers 49, the implement moves forward by power transmitted from the motor to the tractor wheels 25, the direction of its pro ess being controlled by actuation of the cot levers, even pressure upon the latter reventing deviation from a straight line of advance. If, however, there is presented irregularity in the rows which requires a deviation from a straight line as for instance to the right, proper pressure upon the right foot lever will cause the axle 3 to swing-on the pivot bolt 12 causing the wheels 4 and the cultivating mechanism to travel in the desired direction, the turning movement being accelerated by the propelling force of the tractor; to cultivate along irregular rows however requires a but a slight deviation from a straight line which is readily served by a proper actuation of the foot levers to turn to the right or left as the case mi ht be. In either case he automatically 10a s the rear ound wheels or traction devices in the irection to be traveled.

In makin a turn however, at. the end of a row, actuatlon. of the foot lever on the side toward the direction the turn is to be made will be continued to a greater degree than when a deviation from a straight line is made for irregularities in rows of plants. When it becomes necessary to turn the machine completely around, as, for instance, when the end of a row of plants has been reached, and to travel in the opposite direction, the operator inclines the front frame section to the rear section by turning the hand wheel n in the roper direction, causing the worm m and t e worm gear 19 to bring the frame sections to an an le with each other toward the right or %eft, as desired, and causing the axis of the wheels under the front section to assume a position inclined to the axis of the wheels of the rearsection; and by angulating the two frame sections with each other to a considerable extent, he can turn the implement on curves of short radii.-

The extent to which he can, by the steering treadles, angulate the front wheels is limited; but if he supplements this by actuation of the power devices at 19 and m, he can shorten the radius of the curves on which the front end of the machine turns.

When the machine has been brought around toward the position for traveling in the opposite direction, the hand wheel and worm are reversed, and the front and rear frame sections are again brought into alinement and their parts are again ready to be steered and manipulated through the foot lever.

As ready stated, I have presented in detail, in this particular sub-class as one exhibiting all the advantages incident to my invention. 'But as concerns the particular work to be accomplished, or the details of structure, there can be modifications without departing from the essential features of my invention.

What I claim is p 1. A tractor-pushed tillage implement, comprising a front frame, wheels supporting said frame, tilling devices connected with said frame, a rear frame, one or more powerdriven Wheels supporting said rear frame,

and an intermediate frame connecting said front and rear frames and angularly adjustable with reference to each of said frames.

2. A tractor-pushed i tillage implement,

comprising a front frame, wheels supporting said frame, tillin devices connected with sa1d frame, a rear rame, one or more powerdriven wheels supporting said rear frame,

an intermediate frame connecting said front and rear, frames and angularly adjustable with reference to each 0 said frames, and

means for normally holding said intermediate frame in fixed position relatively to said rear frame.

3. A tractor-pushed tillage implement, comprising a front frame, wheels supporting said frame, tilling devices connected with said frame, a rear frame, one or more powerdriven wheels supporting said rear frame, an intermediate frame connecting said front and rear frames, and angularly adjustable with reference to each of said frames, and means for angularly adjusting said intermediate frame relatively to said rear frame. 4. A tractor-pushed tillage implement,

. comprising a front frame, wheels supporting said frame, tilling devices connected with said frame, arear frame, one or more powerdriven wheels supporting said rear frame, an intermediate frame connecting said front and rear frames and angularly adjustable with reference to each of said frames, means for angularly adjusting said intermediate frame relatively to said rear frame, and means for angularly adjusting said front frame relatively to said intermediate frame.

5. A tractor-pushed tillage implement, comprising a front frame, wheels supporting said frame, tilling devices connected with THEOPHILUS BROWN. 

